Voters to weigh in on presidential, senatorial races Questions about same-sex marriage, education and infrastructure also on Nov. 6 ballot

Thursday

Nov 1, 2012 at 3:15 AM

By Ellen W. ToddSanford News Writer

MAINE — This is a presidential election year, which you certainly know unless you have been asleep for the last year or just arrived from another planet.

And unless that is the case, you also know that the names Barack Obama and Mitt Romney will appear at the top of the general election ballot you’ll receive when you vote on Nov. 6.

Well, that’s not really accurate. The first name on the ballot under “President/Vice President of the United States; Vote for ONE” is Gary E. Johnson, followed by his running mate, James P. Gray. Johnson and Gray are the Libertarian candidates for president and vice president and, because candidates are listing alphabetically — by the presidential candidate’s last name — they get the top spot.

Incumbents and Democratic candidates, President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden are next on the ballot, followed by Republicans Mitt Romney (for president) and Paul Ryan (vice president). Green Independent candidates Jill Stein (president) and Cheri Honkala (vice president) are the fourth and final choice you’ll have, unless you have a write-in candidate in mind.

In addition to the presidential race, voters across Maine will also elect a U.S. Senator this year to fill the position being vacated by U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe. Snowe decided not to run for reelection after three six-year terms in the Senate.

Six candidates are vying for Snowe’s seat in the Senate. They are: Democrat Cynthia Ann Dill, of Cape Elizabeth, who is currently a state senator; Republican Charles E. Summers, of Scarborough, who is currently Maine’s Secretary of State; and three independent candidates. The most prominent of the independent candidates is Maine’s former Governor Angus King, of Brunswick. King was elected governor of Maine in 1994 and was reelected in 1998. He was the second independent governor in Maine’s history. Other independent candidates are Danny Francis Dalton, of Brunswick, running as a non-party candidate, Andrew Ian Dodge, of Harpswell, running as an Independent for Liberty, and Stephen M. Woods, of Yarmouth, an Independent.

Maine voters will also be voting on five referendums questions — a citizen’s initiative and four bond issues.

■ Question 1: “Do you want to allow the State of Maine to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples?”

This is a Citizen Initiative to allow marriage licenses for same-sex couples and protect religious freedom. The bill, if passed by voters, will repeal the provision that limits marriage to one man and one woman and replace it with the authorization for marriage between any two persons who meet the other requirements of Maine law.

The bill states that Maine will recognize, for all purposes, a marriage of a same-sex couple that is validly licensed and certified in another jurisdiction.

It also provides that a member of the clergy is not required to perform, and a church, religious denomination or other religious institution is not required to host, a marriage in violation of the religious beliefs of that member of the clergy, church, religious denomination or other religious institution.

■ Question 2 is a Bond Issue that would authorize a general fund bond issue in the amount of $11,300,000 for higher education. The bond includes $3 million for Maine’s community colleges, including $805,000 for York County Community College in Wells to enable the college to purchase the technology and equipment to launch a new program in machine tool technology.

The bond also includes $7.8 million for a diagnostic laboratory at the University of Maine that will help protect Maine agriculture from the serious economic threats of plant and animal disease, food-borne illness and invasive species.

The Maine Maritime Academy would receive $500,000 for capital improvements and equipment if the bond passes.

Question 2 asks voters, “Do you favor an $11,300,000 bond issue to provide funds for capital to build a diagnostic facility for the University of Maine System; for capital improvements and equipment, including machine tool technology, for the Maine Community College System; and for capital improvements and equipment at the Maine Maritime Academy?”

■ Question 3 is an act to authorize a general fund bond issue to support Maine’s natural resource-based economy. It asks, “Do you favor a $5,000,000 bond issue to purchase land and conservation easements statewide from willing sellers for public land and water access, conservation, wildlife or fish habitat and outdoor recreation, including hunting and fishing and deer wintering areas, and to preserve working farmland and working waterfronts to be matched by at least $5,000,000 in private and public contributions?”

■ Question 4 is an act to authorize a general fund bond issue to invest in transportation infrastructure to meet the needs of the business sector and to create jobs. If approved, it will provide $41 million to repair and reconstruct highways and bridges, $300,000 for the LifeFlight Foundation for weather observation stations and helipads in rural communities or remote locations to improve safety and access to emergency medical services, $1.5 million for the Industrial Rail Access Program, $1.5 million for aviation facilities and $1 million for transit buses and $6.5 for port improvements.

It reads, “Do you favor a $51,500,000 bond issue for improvements to highways and bridges, local roads, airports and port facilities, as well as for funds for rail access, transit buses and the LifeFlight Foundation, which will make the State eligible for at least $105,600,000 in federal and other matching funds?”

■ Question 5 is an act to authorize a general fund bond issue for wastewater and drinking water revolving loan funds. If approved, it will provide $3,590,000 over two years for a loan fund for drinking water systems and $4,335,000 over two years for a loan fund for wastewater treatment systems.

The question asks, “Do you favor a $7,925,000 bond issue to be expended over 2 years for revolving loan funds for drinking water systems and for wastewater treatment facilities, which will make the State eligible to secure $39,625,000 in federal grants?”